By Lewis Loflin
Zero tolerance policies in Tennessee schools highlight disciplinary issues concentrated among racial minorities and special education students, who are disproportionately minorities. A 2003 Kingsport Times-News editorial reported the facts, noting that while only 1% of students commit zero tolerance offenses, this small group, combined with other issues, can disrupt entire schools.
This page updates the 2003 data with 2010 findings.
Summary: Non-Asian minorities, particularly African Americans (17% of Tennessee’s population), account for nearly 50% of prison inmates and 40% of zero tolerance offenders in schools. This stems from a subculture of criminality tied to broken families, not racism. From 1999 to 2010, these trends persisted or worsened.
A 2010 report shows little change, except for the rising Hispanic population, unmentioned in 2003. Unlike African Americans, who are overrepresented relative to their population, Hispanics align with Whites in being underrepresented among offenders. A striking issue is the high rate of “disabled” students—special education or physically impaired—committing zero tolerance offenses. From the report:
There was a disproportionate number of zero tolerance offenders among the disabled student population… This was true for the state, Hamilton County Schools, MNPS, and Shelby County Schools. MNPS had the largest proportion: approximately 24% of zero tolerance offenders were disabled, though they comprised only 12% of students in 2007-08. In Hamilton County, 19% of offenders were disabled, against 15% of the student population.
Does “disabled” mean mentally slow or retarded, not just physical conditions like wheelchair use? The report isn’t clear, but these students—20% of offenders statewide—reflect a national trend: 14-15% of U.S. students are disabled, yet they’re 25% of suspensions (OCR, 2017-18). Since Blacks, especially young males, commit crimes at higher rates (40% in TN schools, 55% U.S. murders, FBI 2022) and are labeled intellectually disabled (3x Whites) or emotionally disturbed (1.2x), it’s no shock “disabled” kids are arrested more—they’re often the same group.
Ref: 2010 Tennessee Zero Tolerance Report
The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems adds:
More than 15% of Tennessee students are identified as disabled. Black students are slightly more likely than White students to receive special education services… Black students are over 3 times more likely to be identified as intellectually disabled and 20% more likely as emotionally disturbed… Black and American Indian students are more often placed in restrictive settings. Black and disabled students perform worse on state assessments, rarely enroll in AP or gifted programs, and are less likely to graduate. They also face higher rates of suspension, expulsion, and alternative school placement.
The report pushes racial bias, but that’s nonsense—I’ve debunked it (see here). This is a subculture of criminality and broken families—45% Black single-mother homes vs. 14% White—not discrimination. Nationally, Black students (15%) are 31% of school arrests (OCR), reflecting guilt, not profiling, as crime correlates with diversity over income (FBI, 2022). Funding urban schools more won’t fix this; no evidence supports that claim.
Ref: NCCREST Tennessee Profile
The NCCREST further notes:
From 1970 to 2000, White residents of Memphis halved due to bussing (e.g., Plan Z) and “white flight” to suburbs and private schools, leaving urban schools segregated. Tennessee’s 2005 per capita income was $30,952 (89% of the national average). Black median household income was $27,166, versus $38,189 for Whites. Black males faced 12% unemployment (6% in Memphis) versus 4.9% statewide. Nearly 45% of Black households were female-headed, compared to 14% of White households. Poverty hit 14.9% (21% for children), with Blacks and Hispanics 2–2.5 times more likely to be poor. In Shelby County, it’s over 19%. Blacks are 30% less likely to own homes, and Black males face higher rates of violent death.
They blame race and poverty, yet most poor Tennesseans are White, and Black poverty often ties to choices—like 45% single-mother households versus two-income White families. High Black crime (47% of prisoners) and violence—mostly Black-on-Black—drive “white flight” and school chaos, not racism. Parents avoid such war zones for safety. Claims of Blacks earning less at the same education level lack cited proof. The “disabled” spike—20%+ in Tennessee, 25% nationally—tracks with Black criminality, not over-diagnosis.
